Generation F’d follows a cross section of contributors from Ireland’s many socio-economic groups, revealing their day-to-day lives and giving the viewer a sense of their aspirations, frustrations and ultimate hopes. The contributors hail from a range of different social strata with a mix of educational backgrounds and situations. In episode one viewers meet: Andy Farrell from Lusk, Co Dublin Andrew is a plasterer/foreman and his partner works in healthcare. They have one four-year-old daughter and he has a teenage son from a previous relationship, who he also partly supports. They work every hour they get and still can’t keep up with their rent. In the summer of 2016, Andrew sold his girlfriend’s car to pay rent, has borrowed money from family and friends to cover basic bills and in August 2016 they put their TV up for sale to try to make ends meet. They can’t hold off much longer and will become homeless if their landlord loses patience with arrears. Sometimes they haven’t got enough money to buy food. And then this plea from Andrew: “Sometimes I go hungry to feed my kids, can anyone in Dáil Éireann understand what it means not to have enough money to feed their children?” Susie Mc Gowan originally from Cavan, living in Clondalkin Susie worked in Clerys for 11 years and thought her life was set. She found out she had lost her job through Facebook, which was devastating, with Susie and husband Darren still left with a mortgage to pay. They have been married four years. Darren also works in retail. A year later and Susie still hadn’t found work and they have been surviving on Darren’s wage, which is proving tough. They would love to start a family but don’t want to bring a child into a precarious financial situation. Losing her job has had a devastating impact on her life. Susie is active in the Clerys campaign and very angry about what has been done to the workers. Keira Gill from Coolock Keira worked for years
As Generation F’d, the three-part documentary series looking at the bleak prospects for Ireland’s 25-35 year-olds, continues we look at how does Irish society protect its most vulnerable people, particularly those with a disability as viewers meet Maria, who is a wheelchair user and follow her fight to find employment. Maria is a wheelchair user who is determined not to let her disability hold her back. She has designed an app for wheelchair users in Drogheda and is involved with an employment support project, WALK PEER. WALK is massively important in Maria’s life as her main goal in is to get full time employment. However, the Government suddenly announce that there will be no more funding available for the project, although Maria plans to do whatever she can to campaign to save the association. We also explore how employers are exploiting workers with zero hour contracts and meet Lauren, who highlights the fear people are living in when they don’t know from week to week what they will earn. Experts explain the government’s total lack of legislation to protect worker’s rights. Lauren is on an 8-hour contract in a sports shop in Sligo. Although she enjoys her job, she never knows from week-to-week how much she is going to earn. She feels it holds her back in life and that she is stuck in a rut. Rising costs like her car insurance almost doubling mean she can’t enjoy an active social life. She also fears she may never be able to move out of home as she goes through what she calls a “quarter life crisis”. In episode two, we continue to follow Ciara and Colin in their efforts to rebuild their lives after a period of homelessness. Ciara patiently waits to find out if she has been offered a position as a care assistant and is finally rewarded with the good news she has been hoping for. Although still living in emergency accommodation, the future is starting to look less bleak for the couple. Builder Andy continues to struggle to put fo
In the final episode of Generation F'd meet the young people making a new path for themselves and tackle the big issues affecting Ireland's lost generation including emigration and unemployment. What motivators are there for our young people to stay in this country? Is there anything left for those who have emigrated and want to return to their home country? The mental toll that being out of work takes on your self esteem, social life and morale. Altruism, volunteering and activism among a generation that more than any before them are taking to the streets to protest and protect their rights. We see young people re-engaging with politics and taking up grass roots activism and volunteering, to help change what they don’t like within Irish society. The young people carving out a simpler and more sustainable lifestyle, which allows you to step outside traditional models of living. What happened to the traditional milestones – is this generation being robbed of the opportunity to hit all the traditional milestones their parents hit like getting a mortgage, starting a family. Why to people on the ground have to step in to provide mental health supports in response to a lack of investment by government. We also catch up with wheelchair user Maria McCabe as she continues to save WALK, an employment support project under threat because of funding cuts, and to carve out a career for herself. She continues to research and battle to get funding for her app. Maria is a wheelchair user who is determined not to let her disability hold her back. She has designed an app for wheelchair users in Drogheda and is involved with an employment support project, WALK PEER. WALK is massively important in Maria’s life as her main goal in is to get full time employment. However, the Government suddenly announce that there will be no more funding available for the project, although Maria plans to do whatever she can to campaign to save the association. We also me